Railway truck



2 Sheets-Sheet l RAILWAY TRUCK lfy J. C. TRAVILLA, JR., TAL

Original FiledMaICh lO, 1 939 Jan. 26, 1943.

Jan. 26, 1943. J. c. TRAv|l A-JR., ETAI- 2,309,265

RAILWAY TRUCK Original Filed March l0, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AFl-G.

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WOZTTORNEY Patented Jan. 26, 1943 RAILWAY TRUCK James C. Travilla, Jr., Philadelphia, Fa., and Edwin C. Jackson, Clayton, Mo., assignors to General Steel Castings Corporation. Granite City, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Original application March 10, 1939, Serial No. 260.916, now Patent No. 2,284,695, dated June 2,

1941, Serial No. 404,600

10 Claims.

The invention relates to railway rolling stock and more particularly to truck structure for use in passenger train vehicles, and the present application comprises a division of an earlier application by the same inventors led March 10, 1939, Serial No. 260,916, which has since matured into U. S. Patent No. 2,284,695, granted June 2, i

The general objects of the invention described in the present application correspond to those set forth in said earlier' application; namely, to prevent rolling of the vehicle body from side to side due to various forces set up in the travel of the vehicle and the opposite actions of the truck bolster springs in response to the application of such forces and, more particularly, to prevent such rolling of the vehicle body when mounted on trucks having lateral motion bolsters and preferabiy in trucks with lateral motion bolsters in which the bolster support is positively tilted up-l wardly at the side of the truck towards which the bolster moves in its lateral movement.

It is an additional specific object to support and space the bolster carrying springs by a spring plank mounted to move laterally of the truck frame and to associate stabilizing levers extending transversely of the truck with the bolster and spring plank.

Another object is to connect the outer ends of the stabilizing levers with the associated spring ,plank or bolster parts at substantially the same distance lfrom the center of the truck as the bolster supporting springs.

Another object is to dampen the oscillations of the bolster supporting springs and the stabilizing levers.

These and other detailed objects of the invention are attained in the structures illustrated in the accompanying drawings in Which- Figure 1 is a top view of a four-wheel truck with a lateral motion bolster spring supported from a spring plank which is carried by the frame. A portion of the bolster is omitted at one side of the truck to more clearly illustrate the parts beneath the bolster.

Figure 2 is a side elevation and longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detailed longitudinal section taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a top View of the intermediate portion of a truck frame showing the associated bolster and spring plank and illustrating another Divided and this application July 30,

form of the invention, some of the parts being sectioned for better illustration.

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 5.

Figures 7 and 8 are verticallongitudinal detailed sections taken on the corresponding section lines of Figure 5.

The truck shown in Figures 1-4 includes the usual wheels I, axles 2, journal boxes 3, longitudinal drop equalizers 4 with their elevated ends carried on the journal boxes, truck springs 5 seated on the equalizers, and a truck frame preferably consisting of a one piece casting having wheel pieces 6 with depending pedestal legs 'I which receive the journal boxes between them, transverse transoms 8 and end rails (not shown) and other elements not specified in detail.

Swing hangers I0 are pivotally suspended from the end portions of transoms 8 by pins l I, and the lower ends of hangers I0 at each side of the truck support a cross bar I2 inwardly of the corresponding equalizer 4.

A spring plank `I3 extends transversely of the truck with its ends resting on cross bars I2. Coil springs I4 are seated on the end portions of spring plank I3 and support the truck bolster I5 which extends from side to side of the truck and includes a center plate I6 for receiving the body bolster center plate (not shown) and side bearings Il for opposing corresponding side bearings (not shown) on the body bolster.

stabilizing levers I8 and I9 are arranged end to end transversely of the truck and are positioned in a recess provided therefor in spring plank I3. Each lever is fulcrummed on the spring plank by pins' 2U and 2| respectively andthe inner ends of the levers are pivotally connected by a link 22. The outer ends of the levers are pivotally connected by links 23 to lugs 24 on the bolster top wall.

Preferably the outer ends of levers i8 and I9 are at substantially the same distance from the longitudinal center line of the truck as the axis of the bolster supporting springs I4, and links 23 are shown as extending upwardly through the coils of the bolster springs. This arrangement provides a rigid spacer between the fulcrums 2U and 2l for the stabilizers and between the seats for the bolster springs.

It will be understood that the spring plank and stabilizing structure, including the bolster spring seats, moves as a unit transversely of the truck with the lower ends of swing hangers I0, and because of the inclination of the swing hangers, as shown, the leading end of thespring plank moves upwardly while the other end moves downwardly, thus tending to tilt the bolster and its load and counteracting the overturning effect of lateral forces transmitted to the bolster from the car -body and reducing the amount of car body roll in the direction of the ,application oi: the lateral forces.

Any force tending to raise or lower one end of the bolster, under the action of its spring, or otherwise, such as an overturning force, will be distributed through the stabilizers I8, I9 to the other end of the bolster and the corresponding bolster spring and, to a substantial extent, to the adjacent truck springs 5, without any change in the parallel, relation of the bolster and the spring plank. Hence there is a tendency to keep the bolster level except for such tilting as may result from inclination of the track or unequal compression of the truck springs at opposite sides of the truck or because of the dilerent'angular positions assumed by the swing hangers I0.

The stabilizing arrangement provides substantial stability for a lateral motion bolster truck of the class described, notwithstanding the incentives to lateral rolling resulting from the lateral forces applied to the car body and inequalities in the track.

The action of the parts is further improved by the addition of telescoping shock absorbers 25 with their opposite ends secured respectively to brackets 26 on the truck frame wheel pieces and to brackets 21 on bolster I5 extending outwardly from the spring caps on the bolster and projecting between the wheel pieces and equalizers 4 to a point beneath frame brackets 25.

Shock absorbers 25 directly dampen or snub the oscillations of springs I4 and indirectly dampen the oscillations of springs 5 since the oscillations of the latter springsare affected by the presence and action of springs I-4 and by any checking device associated therewith. In addition, shock absorbers 25 act directly upon both sets of springs to prevent synchronization of their collective vibrations. Preferably, but not necessarily, the shock absorbers yield more readily to accommodate their over-all extension, associated with the compression of the bolster springs, than to accommodate movement in the opposite direction whereby cushioning action of the springs is not impeded, but their recoil is effectively snubbed.

'I'he truck shown in Figures 5-8 contemplates the same general arrangement of wheeled axles with journal boxes (not shown), equalizers 29, truck springs not shown), truck frame 30, swing hangers 3| cross bars 32, spring plank 33, springs 34 and bolster 35. The stabilizing levers 36 and 31 function substantially the same as levers I8 and I9 but are fulcrummed intermediate their ends to brackets 3B depending-from the bolster and are connected at their outer ends by links 39 to portions of the spring plank immediately beneath the bolster supporting springs.

Bolster 35 has its ends extended beneath the frame wheel pieces' for attachment of the lower ends of shock absorbers 40 secured to the brackets on the wheel pieces,

In this construction the stabilizing levers are arranged in pairs at opposite sides of spring plank 33 and each pair of levers has its inner ends pivotally connected by suitable links 4I. The action of. these levers is similar to that previously described to maintain the equal action of the bolster springs and to maintain the parallel relation of the bolster and spring plank.

Hence in both forms oi' the invention the bolster and its supporting springs are carried upon a rigid spring plank supported at its opposite ends from swing hangers, and the spring plank, bolster springs, bolster and equalizing levers are movable as a unit transversely of the truck and may be tilted according tothe inclination of the swing hangers, all without lowering of the outer end of the bolster because of the unequal action of the bolster springs.

It will be understood that the bolster springs may be arranged in groups other than as shown and that elliptic springs or rubber springs may be substituted for the coil springs if desired and that other details of the structure may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention. The exclusive use of such modications of the structure as come within the spirit of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway truck, a frame, a. spring plank member supported from said frame to move laterally of the truck, springs mounted on said spring plank, a bolster 4member supported on said springs, stabilizer' levers arranged end to end transversely of the truck and pivotally connected to each other at their inner ends and each pivotally connected between its ends to one of said members and pivotally connected at its outer end to the other of said members at a point on the latter in the same generallongitudinal plane as the corresponding bolster supporting spring, whereby said levers equalize the action of said springs, there being shock absorbing devices connecting the end portions of the bolster member to the truck frame independently of the connections between the stabilizing levers and the bolster member and spring plank member.

2. In a railway truck, Wheels, axles, journal boxes thereon, equalizers extending between the journal boxes at the same side of the truck, a truck frame including wheel pieces extending abovesaid equalizers and lsupported therefrom, a spring plank member supported from said frame to move laterally of the truck and terminating short of said equalizers, springs mounted on the end portions of said spring plank member inwardly of the truck from said equalizers and wheel pieces, a bolster member supported on said springs, and extending outwardly of the truck between the wheel pieces and equalizers, shock absorbing devices connecting the outer end portions of the bolster member with said wheel pieces, stabilizing levers arranged end to end transversely of the truck and pivotally connected to each other at their inner ends and each pivotallyconnected between its ends to one of said members and each pivotally connected at its outer end to the other member in the same general longitudinal plane as the corresponding supporting spring for the bolster member, whereby said stabilizers equalize the action of said springs.

3. In a railway truck, a frame, a spring plank member supported from said frame to move laterally of the truck, springs mounted on said spring plank member, a bolster member supported on said springs and extending outwardly of the truck beyond its supporting springs and connected at its outer ends to the truck frame through shock absorbing devices, stabilizing levers arranged end to end transversely of the truck and pivotally connected to each other at their inner ends and each pivotally connected to one of said members between its ends, and a connection extending between the outer end of each 4stabilizing lever and the other member at approximately the same distance from the longitudinal center line of the truck as the corresponding bolster supporting spring, whereby said levers equalize the action of said springs.

4. A truck as described in claim 2 in which the outer ends of the stabilizing levers are pivotally connected to the bolster member and the intermediate portions of said levers are connected to the spring plank member.

5. A truck as described in claim 2 in which the outer ends of the stabilizing levers are pivotally connected to the spring plank member and the intermediate portions of said levers are connected to the bolster member,

6. In a railway truck, a frame, a spring plank member supported from said frame to move laterally of the truck, coil springs mounted on said spring plank member, a bolster member supported on said springs, stabilizer levers arranged end to end transversely ofthe truck and pivotally connected to each other at their inner ends and each pivotally connected between its ends to one of said members and pivotally connected at its outer end to the other of said members by a link extending upwardly through the corresponding spring coil, whereby said levers equalize the action of said springs.

7. In a railway truck, wheels, axles, journal boxes thereon, equalizers extending between the journal boxes at the same side of the truck, a truck frame including wheel pieces extending above said equalizers and supported therefrom, a spring plank member supported from said frame to move laterally of the truck, springs mounted on the end portions of said spring plank member, a bolster member supported on said springs, stabilizing levers arranged end to end transversely of the truck between said equalizers and pivotally connected to each other at their inner ends and each pivotally connected between its ends to said spring plank member and each having its outer end extending beneath a bolstersupporting spring and pivotally connected to said bolster member, whereby said stabilizing levers equalize the action oi.' said bolster-supporting springs.

8. In a railway truck, wheels, axles,`journal boxes thereon, equalizers extending between the journal boxes at the same side oi' the truck. a truck frame including wheel pieces extending above said equalizers and supported therefrom, swing hangers suspended from said frame. horizontal bars supported by said hangers and extending longitudinally of the truck parallel with and inwardly of said equalizers, a. spring plank member carried by said horizontal bars, springs mounted on said spring plank member, a bolster member supported on said springs, stabilizing levers arranged end to end transversely of the truck and between said horizontal bars and pivotally connected to each other at their inner ends and each pivotally connected between its ends to said spring plank member and each having'its outer, end extending beneath a bolster-supporting spring and pivotally connected to the bolster member, whereby said stabilizing levers equalize the action of said bolster-supporting springs.

9. In a railway truck, a frame, a spring plank member supported from said frame to move laterally of the truck, springs mounted on said spring plank member, a bolster member supported on said springs. stabilizer levers arranged transversely of the truckwith the outer end of each lever pivotally connected to said spring plank member and with the intermediate portion of each lever pivotally connected to said bolster member and with the inner ends of said 'levers overlapping each other vertically of the truck, and a link pivotally connecting said overlapping ends, whereby said levers equalize the action of said springs. f

10. In a. railway truck, a i'rame, hangers pivotally suspended from opposite sides of the frame 'to swing transversely of the truck, a spring plank member supported by said hangers, each of said hangers being inclined downwardly and outwardly from their supporting pivots whereby movement of the spring plank member transversely of the truck is accompanied by lowering of its end movingI inwardly of the truck and by raising of its end moving outwardly of the truck, springs mounted on said spring plank member, a bolster member carried by said springs, stabilizer levers arranged end to end transversely of the truck, a pivotal connection between the inner end portions o! said levers, pivotal connections between the bolster member and the intermediate portions oi' said levers, and pivotal connections between the spring plank member and the outer end portions of said levers. each of said pivotal connections preventing relative vertical movement of the parts connected thereby, whereby said levers equalize the action of said springs, irrespective of the action of said swing hangers. and forces tending to tilt the bolster member transversely of the truck.

A JAMES C. TRAVELA, Jn. 

